As most of the footballing community prepares for a full weekend of international football. Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani will be spending the weekend working on his game away from the Uruguay national team. The 27-year-old is not enjoying the best start to the season, but former France and Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has jumped to his defence, urging that it is just a blip, and backed the striker to hit back.

Houllier has worked with some of the best players from all-around the world. His time as boss of Liverpool in the Premier League, or as the French national team coach and he also won two Ligue 1 titles as coach of former powerhouse Olympique Lyonnais.

Cavani has come under a lot of pressure due to his inefficiency in the final third. After nine games he has only scored three goals, and it is not due to a lack of chances, with Cavani’s confidence looking shot when he gets inside the penalty box.

Looking at the games against Barcelona and Monaco, Houllier suggested to French radio station RMC that the media must stop burdening “poor Cavani” because he loses confidence and leadership.

“When he has the ball, he didn’t know whether to shoot or not, and that’s his job and where he is strongest.”

Houllier advised to look at Cavani’s work rate, the whole team worked extremely hard and that Cavani added depth to his game. Tireless running all over the pitch and suggested that what he is lacking at the moment can’t continue for long.

With the striker left out of Oscar Tabarez’s latest squad, Cavani’s next chance to fire away his demons will come against RC Lens on the 17th of October.

Cavani missed Uruguay’s 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia on Friday, and will also not be part of the game against Oman on Monday.

Andrew Gibney

Andrew Gibney started following France's Ligue 1 about 10 years ago and it is an obession that has stayed with him ever since.His writing career started as a hobby, but now he calls Lille, France his home and spends his weekend either watching Lille OSC or teams down in the fifth division of the French league pyramid, forever searching for the next Eden Hazard.A typical Glasweigan, he once walked 106 miles in seven days, from Sheffield to Lille, just to avoid paying for the Eurostar. Managing to talk his way into a few freebies from other clubs along the way.